Body of car-hijacking victim found after suspected hijackers arrested

The body of a murdered car-hijacking victim was found in a shallow grave by KwaZulu-Natal police this week after his stolen vehicle was recovered.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said members of the King Cetshwayo district task team received information about two men travelling in a stolen vehicle from Nongoma towards Mtubatuba.

“The vehicle was spotted near Nkodibe and it was stopped. On questioning the suspects, it was discovered that none of the occupants owned the vehicle. The suspects, Smiso Mhlongo and Thabani Shangase, both aged 34, were placed under arrest for possession of suspected stolen property,” Gwala said.

But their work was not done yet.

“The team conducted further investigations and the findings were that the owner of the vehicle was allegedly hijacked and killed. His body was buried in the Nongoma area.”

On Friday, various police role playersproceeded to the identified area at Embonjeni in Nongoma to search for the body of the victim.

“A canine pointed to where the body of the victim was buried in a shallow grave near the river and the body was exhumed.”

They made a gruesome find.

“A partially decomposed body of a 46-year-old man was found after he went missing on January 19. Charges of murder and carjacking were opened at Nongoma,” Gwala said.

“The arrested suspects appeared before the KwaMsane magistrate's court on Friday and were remanded. They will appear in the Nongoma magistrate's court soon.”

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